The Day He Kissed Her (5 page)

“Maybe you should try not thinking,” she retorted.

A slow grin crept over Jake’s face when he leaned close and tweaked her nose. “Maybe I should. But what would be the fun in that?”

“You two done flirting?”

Raine’s voice cut between the two of them, and Lily’s head shot up.

“Seriously,” Raine said with a soft laugh. “Half the town already thinks something is going on between the three of us.”

“Three of us?” Jake’s head whipped around.

“Yep,” Raine answered and held up three fingers. “I heard about it when I was in the hardware store the other day. I was in aisle six looking for barbecue utensils, and Mrs. Lester was in the garden-tool section. She was telling old man Lawrence that”—Raine made quotation marks with her fingers—“‘the Edwards boy was having his cake and eating it too, carrying on with those two women.’”

“Seriously?” Jake’s mouth hung open in shock.

Raine giggled. “She seemed quite scandalized at the thought, so I had to assure her that Lily and I traded off on a weekly basis.”

Lily bit her lip at the expression on Jake’s face.

“You know,” Raine continued, “so that she could sleep at night because technically the Edwards boy wasn’t having his cake and eating it
at
the
same
time
.”

Jake moved toward Raine, his hands reaching for her. “You did not say that to Mrs. Lester.”

“I did,” Raine managed to squeak out before Jake’s lips silenced her.

Lily moved past them, a lump in her throat and an ache in her heart that she was getting more than a little tired of feeling. There was no point to it because when had she ever wanted
that
for herself?

When had she ever wanted love? Love was too complicated. Too painful and, besides, only in rare cases did it ever last. She hoped it worked out for Jake and Raine. She really did.

Lily took two more steps and halted when Mackenzie jumped back into the boat, his eyes on her, the look intense. He edged his way past Blair, whose ear was still tuned to the boat beside them and the guy who was complaining about garbage pickup.

“So, Boston,” Mackenzie said softly,
dangerously
, “looks like we’ll be spending the day together.”

“I don’t think so,” she managed to say. “I’m here with Blair.”

A slow smile swept over his face. It was the kind of smile that a girl had to beware of, because it was the kind of smile meant for one thing only—seduction.

Heat curled in her gut, pulling tight, and it took a lot to hold his gaze when everything inside her screamed,
run
!

“Sure you are,” he said. “But…”

“But?” She arched an eyebrow.

Mackenzie took the few steps needed to bring him within an inch of Lily. He’d already doffed his T-shirt, and his bare chest gleamed from the sunlight. The tattoo she’d noticed New Year’s Eve drew her eye—only for a moment—before she tore her gaze away from his left bicep and exhaled. Jesus, did the man have to smell as good as he looked?

He leaned forward, his breath caressing the side of her neck, sending a pack of goose bumps crawling down her flesh. Again, everything tightened inside her, and an ache began to pulse between her legs.

“Do you really think it matters who you came with?”

Her heart took off again, and she ground her teeth together, trying to remain calm as he continued.

“Because I’m thinking the real question is…” He paused, and she stopped breathing, shivering, as his eyes bored into hers. “The real question is who are you going home with.”

“It won’t be you,” she said in a clipped tone.

Mackenzie laughed, a soft, throaty kind of thing, and moved back, though his hand caught her chin, forcing her eyes upward.

Wrong thing to do.

His eyes were dark, filled with heat and something else…a promise of things to come.

“Is that a challenge, Boston?”

“No,” she said. “It’s a fact.” She was all bravado on the outside, but inside, Lily was a mess.

Get
it
together, Lily.

His hand dropped from her face, and with a rakish grin, Mackenzie gave her a cocky salute. “We’ll see.”

Lily had no comeback. Hell, all she could think about were the zigs and zags running through her—hot, cold, and intense. All that just from the touch of his hand.

Holy. Hell.

Lily St. Clare was in trouble, and she had no idea what she was going to do about it.

Chapter 5

“So, you made a decision yet?”

Mac glanced up and shifted a bit as Jake eased into the sand beside him. The sun was setting, the music was thumping, and there were still at least a hundred boats surrounding the small island.

It had been a hot one, and considering it was only the end of May, Mac figured it was going to be the kind of summer he missed the most. He loved the heat, and he loved the water. He loved boating and fishing. If he could take all of this and transplant it somewhere in New York City, he’d be one happy guy.

Ignoring Jake’s question, Mac tossed his buddy a cold beer and settled back on his elbows. “What’s her story?”

Jake followed his gaze. “Lily?”

Mac nodded. “Yeah. Lily.” He was curious. Hell, he was more than curious but didn’t see the need to share that info with Edwards.

Jake took a swig of beer before answering.

“She’s…she’s like family, Mac.”

There was that warning note in Jake’s voice again, but instead of getting Mac’s hackles up, it made him more curious. What was it about this woman that made Jake so protective? She wasn’t some simpering female and seemed to be in control of her shit from what he’d seen.

“Family, huh?” he prodded. “You never mentioned her when I was in Texas, so I know you haven’t known her that long.”

The shadows across Jake’s face made him look fierce, and for a second Mac was pissed that he’d ever brought up Texas. Texas equated Fort Hood, and those wounds were still fresh. Hell, Mac felt them cutting into his heart and soul—he couldn’t imagine what Jake felt. To lose Jesse, his twin, wasn’t something that anyone should have to deal with.

“Her brother, Blake, served with us,” Jake said quietly. “He was hurt in the attack that killed Jess.”

Shit. Mac let that settle a bit. “How’s her brother doing?”

Jake shook his head, his lips tight, and words weren’t necessary.

“Wow,” Mac said quietly, his gaze on Lily. “Were they close?”

Mac had grown up in a loud, busy house filled with siblings who were always wary of an attack at the hands of their father. In some families, he was pretty sure that kind of environment would foster a tight-knit group. In the Draper house? Not so much. It was every man for himself, and other than Becca, he wasn’t real close to any of his brothers or sisters.

The Bad Boys had been his family—Cain, Jake, and Jesse.

“They were tight. Real tight,” Jake acknowledged. “After Jesse died, I headed back to base and went to see Blake, who’d been brought back and was in a hospital there. He’d been in a coma for weeks, and that’s where I met Lily. She was…” A ghost of a smile lit up Jake’s face. “She was fierce and broken and crazy.”

Jake glanced at Mac. “You think your family is fucked up? Hers would give yours a run for the money. I think Blake was her anchor, and she went a little bit crazy when he decided to enlist, and when he was hurt…” Shadows crept into his eyes and Jake shuddered. “We were both in a bad place and we got each other through.”

Mac watched his friend closely. “Were you guys…did you and Lily…” What the hell? He couldn’t even vocalize his thoughts because the idea of Jake and Lily together rubbed him the wrong way, and he had no right to even go there.

“Nah,” Jake answered quietly, with a shrug. “One night things got a little out of hand, but we shut it down before it went too far. It was nothing more than a combination of tequila, the fact that Blake had taken a turn for the worse, and well, I was convinced that I had screwed things up with Raine for good. I hadn’t been home in months, and I tried like hell to forget her but…”

“Glad you worked things out.”

“Yeah,” Jake said with a slow smile. “We fit. I don’t know how, but it’s all good.”

Mac took a sip of his beer, eyes narrowed as Hubber moved in closer to Lily. They stood around a bonfire near the water. She’d doffed her sundress hours ago, and even though dusk was settling, it was still hot as hell. God, the woman filled out a bikini like nobody’s business.

His eyes got hung up somewhere between the toned, flat expanse of skin above the waistband of her bottoms and the way her top cupped those amazing breasts. Her ponytail was long gone, and wild waves tumbled down her shoulders. Her skin was golden, and he had the urge to pull down that damn waistband, just to see if there was a tan line or not.

“Why is she here?” he asked abruptly. Hubber’s hands were still on her shoulders, and he didn’t like the fact that she seemed really comfortable with them there. Had he read everything wrong?

Jake shrugged. “She had no place else to be.”

Mac finally dragged his eyes from Lily and looked at his friend. “She’s obviously single, but why would she want to settle in Crystal Lake? I’d think New York or LA would be more her speed.”

“I guess you’d have to ask her that,” Jake said.

Hubber leaned closer to Lily, his mouth next to her ear—she didn’t move away, and Mac was damn sure anyone looking at them would think they were a couple.

Mac didn’t like it one bit because he knew he wasn’t wrong—there was a lot of heat between him and the lady. Heat and attraction and the scorching memory of what had to be one of the best nights of his life.

Mac nodded. “Yeah. I think I will.”

He’d been a good boy—he’d given her space for the day—but he was done being good. Hell, he’d passed good about two hours ago and wanted to be bad.

He wanted to be bad with Boston.

Mac got up and rolled his shoulders, smiling automatically at a squealing Shelli Gouthro as she stumbled toward him, though his eyes never wavered from his goal.

“Mackenzie Draper,” Shelli said, obviously drunk. “You never texted me back.”

With an inward groan, he kept the smile on his face. Christ, he didn’t want to deal with Shelli. She was sweet—easy but sweet—and he usually made time for her when he was home. Why wouldn’t he? The girl was up for anything, but tonight she was the last thing on his mind.

“Sorry, Shells, I was busy.”

She pouted, pushing her tits up as she stretched her arms above her head.

“But we always get together when you’re home.” Shelli tried to grab him, but Mackenzie was quick and sidestepped her, eyes locking on to Lily’s as she turned toward him.

For a moment, something passed between the two of them, something hot and electric, and his gut clenched in response.

“Not this time,” he said, pushing past Shelli, his eyes still on Lily. Blair glanced up and said something to her, his mouth close to her ear, and a shot of anger rifled through Mac. He glowered at the man as he strode toward them.

“Mac!” someone shouted, but he ignored it.

Raine was a few feet away, chatting with Tammy George, and she stepped in front of him just before he reached the bonfire.

“What’s got you so riled?” she asked lightly.

“What?” He tore his eyes from Lily and looked down at Raine.

“You look pissed off.”

“I am.”

Raine looked surprised at his answer and glanced over her shoulder toward the fire. She studied it for a few seconds, and when she turned back to him, a soft smile lit up her face.

“You’re jealous of Blair Hubber?”

Mac didn’t hesitate. “Damn right I am.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“Wow.”

“Yep.”

Raine’s eyebrows shot up. “Because he’s here with Lily?”

Again, no hesitation. “Yep.”

“Why?”

He ran his hands through his hair and let out a long, hard breath.

“Because she belongs with me.” An arrogant comment for sure, but it was the truth, or at least it’s what he felt.

Jesus, he wanted to march his ass over there and physically remove Blair Hubber from Lily’s space. He’d watched the two of them all day, an easy smile on his face as if he didn’t care that Hubber had been all over her.

But he cared. He cared a lot. And maybe that should surprise him, but for now, he wasn’t going to think about the reasons behind it. It just was.

Raine’s eyes widened slightly. “Okay, if you’re going for the Tarzan thing, I gotta tell you, Draper, you’ve got it down pat.” She paused, obviously curious. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the two of you had already met.”

“We have,” Mac said tightly, his eyes once more on Lily. Blair’s arm was around her shoulders now, and Mac fisted his hands, even as he envisioned plowing them into the guy’s face. A broken nose on Hubber looked pretty damn good right about now.

“Oh,” Raine whispered.

Mac glanced down, immediately regretting his admission. Since New Year’s Eve, his night with Lily had been for him and him alone. He’d never said a word to anyone about it because it had just seemed wrong.

“No one knows, alright? I…” He shrugged, not really knowing how to express what was inside him. The only thing he knew was, if Hubber’s hands wandered anymore, Mac was going to remove them himself, and he sure as hell wouldn’t be nice about it.

“She’s not as tough as she seems,” Raine said quietly as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Mac’s waist. Rising up on her tiptoes, Raine kissed his cheek and grabbed his face, forcing his eyes back to her. “But then again, neither are you.”

He stared down at one of his oldest friends, not really knowing what to say and feeling like a bit of an idiot.

“So, the Tarzan thing doesn’t really work?” he joked.

“No. I’d suggest something a little more subtle. You need to tone it down.”

“Gotcha.”

Mac reached the edge of the bonfire and didn’t waste any time. Ignoring Blair, he squared his shoulders and gazed down into Lily’s eyes. There were a few more people around the fire, but he didn’t care.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked softly.